WrestleMania Night 2 Review

Night 2 of WrestleMania capped off the weekend with a decent show. That upset some fans, yet perhaps that is what is needed in this story that is far from over. We’ll get into that here shortly, but there are a couple of other takes from the weekend that I couldn’t completely ignore, so I might as well get some negative stuff out of the way before the review and match ratings.

• While I understand the idea of showing stars at the event, they can scale it back a little by showing them after almost every match, especially people like Colby Covington and Tony Hinchcliffe. I hate mixing the god-awful force that is politics with what I love, pro wrestling, but keep that type of “celebrity” out because it dirties everything it touches.

• Travis Scott’s involvement in the main event is awkward, and I think the fans won’t riot if he doesn’t get in the ring again or for a while. But besides those gripes, another good WrestleMania is in the books with Triple H in charge, who racks up another win this weekend.

WWE Women’s World Championship: Iyo Sky vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley

This match was freaking amazing! Like I said about Saturday night’s main event, watch it. I cannot wait for Bianca vs. Rhea to be a WrestleMania main event someday, but this match was incredible. Rhea and Bianca focused on each other, which cost them in the end, where Iyo Sky capitalized on the moment, giving Sky a Wrestlemania banger match, and she delivered with a win to retain her championship and be firmly placed in the women’s main event scene.

RHR Rating: 4 out of 5

Sin City Street Fight: Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest

McIntyre and Priest squared off in a street fight that wasn’t a total car wreck but was a hard-hitting hoss fight. They finally gave Damian Priest an entrance that fit him perfectly. McIntyre is so damn impressive in the ring, as well as Priest. Still, a violent Claymore to Priest in the corner into a wedge chair was enough for McIntyre to win and get revenge for what happened to McIntyre last year at Wrestlemania, thanks to Priest’s cash-in.

RHR Rating: 3.25 out of  5

WWE Intercontinental Championship  Fatal 4-way: Bron Breakker vs. Penta vs. Dominik Mysterio vs. Finn Balor

Next came a show stealer, the 4-way for the IC title. This multi-person match was exciting while being modern, but the crowd was really behind Penta and, surprisingly, Dirty Dom all match. Penta looks and feels like a big deal (take a drink because it’s another rough look for Tony Khan and AEW), Finn Balor is still incredible, and Bron Breakker is next level everything.

It is another match that needs a rewatch to keep up with all the action. Still, Balor took an opening and had Breakker dead to rights when he hit the coup de grace and pinned the champion, only for Dirty Dom to hit a frog splash, pinning Balor to become the new Intercontinental champion. Balor was shocked and then disgusted, while the crowd gave Mysterio a WrestleMania moment, but we could have seen the end of Balor and Judgement Day.

RHR Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Randy Orton vs. Joe Hendry

Randy Orton issued an open challenge for his 20th WrestleMania appearance when (sighs) a familiar song started. Someone must have said his name because Joe Hendry appeared to accept the challenge, which sent the crowd into a frenzy since Hendry is the current sensation in wrestling. Still, I would have liked to see some other wrestlers get that chance, like Carmelo Hayes, Karrion Kross, Ludwig Kaiser, or someone from NXT. The match was fine, not a long one; as Hendry went to do his now viral pose OUT OF NOWHERE, Orton hit the RKO for the win. After the match, Hendry gets Orton’s respect, only to get another RKO from the legend killer.

RHR Rating: 2 out of 5

Logan Paul vs. AJ Styles

As insufferable as Logan Paul is, he understands his assignment and knows how to make a unique entrance with a drone and all the camera angles on him. The match was all right, but not what many expected. It showcased how good Paul is and how great Styles still is.

Ultimately, one of Paul’s goofs tried to interfere when Karrion Kross stopped it to encourage Styles to use it on Paul for the win. Styles took Kross out, but it was enough distraction for Paul to take advantage and get the win without cheating for his third win at WrestleMania.

RHR Rating: 2.5 out of 5

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez vs. Lyra Valkyria & Becky Lynch

Well, it was not a total surprise when Becky Lynch’s music hit as the man returned to be Lyra Valkyria’s partner. I do not understand why Bayley wasn’t involved all week, but Liv and Raquel have their opponents. The match was okay; it felt like a nice showcase for Valkyria. Lyra and Becky won the match to become the new Women’s tag champs, giving Lyra Valkyria two belts like her mentor and tag team partner.

RHR Rating: 2 out of 5

Before the main event, we got a pleasant surprise when glass shatters and out came Stone Cold Steve Austin, hauling it on the ATV, where there was a little accident to announce the attendance for night two and the whole weekend, nothing wild, just nice to see Austin at WrestleMania when he shows up.

Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes vs. John Cena
We now go to the main event of the weekend: John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes. John Cena’s entrance was awesome—not color, just black and straightforward—as he walked down for his last Wrestlemania match. Cena’s entire demeanor as a bad guy is so good. Cody’s entrance is still electric, and the little tribute to Evel Knievel was cool.

Cena wrestling like a bad guy is so odd but wondrous! To no surprise, the crowd seemed more for Cena than Rhodes (80/20). It’s funny how, a year later, everything changed. Cena hitting various AAs wasn’t enough to keep Rhodes down.

The ref goes down, and Cena exposes the turnbuckle, ramming Rhodes and heading into it for another AA when Cody kicks out again. (SIGHS) Then Travis Scott’s music hits, and the air in the crowd goes because it’s ridiculous, especially McAfee on commentary, but Cena is all smiles. Scott pulls the ref out as Rhodes goes for the pin, and Rhodes challenges Scott to enter the ring when he hits the rapper with Cross Rhodes.

Then, Cena tries to hit Rhodes with the belt when Rhodes counters, but can’t bring himself to use the title, choosing to be good. It costs Rhodes when Cena low-blows Cody, hits him with the belt, and pins Rhodes to become the new champion and gets number 17, winning the title opposite of his trademark of hustle, loyalty, and respect. The match itself wasn’t an instant classic or banger which I’m sure the ICW is pissed today, some would even say anticlimactic, but the show ended with a large portion of the crowd chanting, “THANK YOU, CENA!” as the legend with a big smirk walks out of the stadium with the title on backwards.

RHR Rating: 3 out of 5

Overall, WrestleMania 41 was good. While it may not have had the same emotional peak as last year in Philadelphia, it was still a very good WrestleMania that had some of the big moments in WWE happen in both main events; I can’t wait to see what is going to happen tonight on Raw.

Night 2 Rating: 3 out of 5